Recent studies have shown that your gut is strongly linked to your brain. Health and wellness enthusiast Anamika Madan recently explained that the gut microbiome is the bacteria that lives in your digestive system. This bacteria controls how your body processes foods, and Anamika Madan explained that when that balance is off, it can greatly affect your health and overall mood.
"What you eat can have an effect on how you feel mentally and physically," Anamika Madan said. "Recent studies at Harvard have shown that the brain and the gut have a major connection."
Anamika Madan explained that nutritional psychiatry is a relatively new field that is growing at a rapid rate. Harvard research experts have found that 90 percent of serotonin receptors within the body are located in the gut. Serotonin is the major hormone that stabilizes our feelings of well-being and mood. Anamika Madan explained that this connection can be seen when a person is prescribed an antidepressant, like a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The most common side effects with prescription drugs like these are gut related. Nutritional psychiatry is helping health experts further understand the connection between diet and depression, stress, or anxiety.
"A recent study showed that a balanced, healthy diet may be able to fight depression and reduce feelings of anxiety," Anamika Madan said. "On the contrary, a diet packed with processed foods and high in sugar could result in more feelings of anxiety and depression."
Anamika Madan finished by making suggestions of what should be eaten to increase mood and overall mental well-being. She advised us to eat whole foods and avoid pre-packaged processed foods at all costs. These foods are high in preservatives and additives that can disrupt the gut microbiome and greatly affect mood. Similarly, Anamika Madan suggested consuming enough fiber, which can be done by consuming more legumes and whole grains. Fermented foods, like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir have been proven to help maintain a healthy digestive system.
"Foods that are ultra-processed or contain a lot of chemical additives can not only decrease your overall mood. They can increase your risk of diseases, like cancer, heart disease, and obesity, too," Anamika Madan said. "As important as it is to eat well to improve your mood; it's just as important to avoid unhealthy foods that will negatively affect your mood and your overall health."
Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gut-feelings-how-food-affects-your-mood-2018120715548
Caroline Hunter
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